The proper and, ideally, the most successful trajectory of a golf ball can be considered to be controlled by three essential factors: the speed at which the club head is traveling at impact, the path along which the club head travels, and the orientation and character of the club face at the site of impact. To establish the proper path and angle of the club head at impact during putting, the golfer must first envision the path along which the ball would be likely to roll from its present position into the cup. Then, under the assumption that the envisioned path of travel is accurate, the golfer must align his or her body and the putter head and shaft relative to the desired initial path of travel of the golf ball. The golfer will then seek to stroke the ball with the putter head disposed perpendicular to the desired initial path of ball travel. In an ideal putt, the putter head will ideally be traveling in perfect alignment with the desired initial path of travel, with the putter head perpendicular to the desired initial path of ball travel, and with the location of impact between the golf ball and the putter face at a predetermined, preferred location.
As anyone who has played golf will attest, establishing the proper alignment of the putter face and the golfer's body and stroking perfectly along the desired path of ball travel are tasks that are difficult in practice. In addition to a plurality of other factors, one fundamental factor that makes proper alignment difficult is that the golfer's line of sight is substantially displaced from the actual point of impact between the putter face and the golf ball. Adding to the difficulties in establishing proper alignment is the fact that a golfer typically determines the preferred path, commonly referred to as ‘lining up’ the putt, with the golfer's head upright and the golfer's eyes level with one another. However, the actual putting sequence is carried out with the golfer's head tilted over the ball such that the golfer's eyes are not level with one another. With this, the golfer's perceptions of the actual and desired putting lines become skewed.
Still another important factor in relation to the speed and trajectory of a putted ball is the location of the impact between the golf ball and the putter face in relation to a predetermined, preferred location for that impact. For example, many putters are crafted to strike a ball with the most accurate trajectory, speed, and distance when the impact location is in a particular location along the putter face, such as in line with the center of gravity of the putter head or aligned with the effective connection of the putter shaft with the putter head. However, many golfers fail to achieve an alignment between the ball and the ideal impact location in a consistent manner. This reduces the accuracy and consistency of their putts.
Some golfers will tend to “push” putts in a direction outside of the target line. Other golfers may tend to “pull” putts in a direction inside of the target line. Even further, many golfers, aware of their tendency to push or pull will overcorrect thereby producing pulls and pushes.
In light of the foregoing, it is apparent that a golf putter that would improve the golfer's ability to produce a desired alignment between the putter head, the golf ball, and the desired path of ball travel would contribute usefully to the ultimate goal of putting—successfully sinking more putts. Even further, it would be advantageous to provide a putter structure capable of ensuring and promoting putter face impact with a golf ball in alignment with a desired location along the putter head.